Electric companies requesting rate increases

CHARLESTON – Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power, both subsidiaries of American Electric Power (AEP), have filed a request with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia for a $226 million revenue increase.

If approved, the request would raise rates in West Virginia by approximately 17 percent.

The exact amount of the increase will vary by customer class and usage.

“This is a base rate case the Commission required us to file in which we present our costs of doing business,” said Charles Patton, Appalachian Power president and COO. “It includes things like storm restoration costs from the Derecho and Sandy, implementation of a right-of-way maintenance program to improve reliability, and a return that is sufficient to attract capital. Ultimately, the Commission will determine the outcome of the request.”

The increase in revenue is needed to recover increased costs of maintaining and improving distribution and transmission lines as well as generating plants. These day-to-day costs of an electric utility are recovered in “base rates.” These costs have been rising for the last several years. This increase affects customer rates in West Virginia, where rates have not increased since 2011. During that same period rates for Appalachian’s customers in Virginia and Tennessee have increased.

“Keeping the lights on is our customers’ number one requirement,” said Patton. “It’s up to us to balance that requirement with the need to keep prices as low as possible. To ensure that service remains reliable, we need to make investments to maintain our infrastructure.”

The requested increase includes costs for major storm restoration efforts and a new vegetation management program. The company is seeking recovery of restoration costs from the two major storms that struck West Virginia in 2012, the Derecho on June 29 and Superstorm Sandy on Oct. 29. The company proposes to spread those costs over a five-year period to reduce the effect on rates.

The filing also includes costs for the recently approved cycle-trimming vegetation management program. While cycle trimming won’t eliminate outages from major events like the Derecho and Sandy, it will help improve reliability, reduce power restoration times and minimize some restoration and ongoing maintenance costs.

Rates will not be put into effect until approved by the Commission, which can suspend rates for 270 days after July 30, 2014. Upon approval, typical residential customers will see an increase in their electric bills of less than a dollar a day. Residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month will see their monthly bill rise from $94 to $116.

Power officials said in the last year, Appalachian Power has begun implementation of an efficiency program called Lean throughout its service territory. The internationally known program, used by Toyota and other multinational corporations, is designed to engage front line employees in finding ways to eliminate waste and add value to customers. Plus, the company has implemented two major budget-cutting initiatives and reduced its workforce by more than 10 percent in the last five years, officials added.

The filing requests a 10.62 percent authorized return on equity.

“Earning a fair return on equity is critical to Appalachian’s ability to do business,” the company said in a press release. “It directly affects bond ratings and therefore the cost to finance infrastructure improvements, make long-term investments and provide reliable electricity.”

“The rates the Commission approves for our company are established to allow us to provide safe, clean, reliable electric service while keeping prices as affordable as possible and earning a fair return on investment,” Patton said.

AEP employs approximately 2,500 people in West Virginia, making it one of the largest employers in the state. It is also one of the largest taxpayers in the state, paying $122 million in state and local taxes in 2012.

Patton said customers are urged to manage their energy use wisely and to visit www.AppalachianPower.com for energy-saving tips and a free home energy calculator that can help explain how to conserve electricity. The site also provides information on payment options available to customers, he said.

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